HC Deb 14 March 1945 vol 409 cc216-7
31. Mr. Edmund Harvey

asked the Minister of Works how many persons are employed regularly under his Department in this House for whom no retiring pension is provided, except the old age pension; and whether he will give consideration to more suitable provision for those who render this service.

33. Sir H. Williams

asked the Minister of Works why no pension is to be paid to Mr. Knight, the liftman to the Ladies' Gallery of the House of Commons, who is to retire shortly after 44 years' service.

Mr. Hicks

One hundred and sixty-three members of industrial grades are at present employed at the Houses of Parliament who are eligible on retirement after 15 years' service for gratuity of one week's pay for every year of service. As regards the last part of Question No. 31 and the particular case of Mr. J. P. Knight, I would refer the hon. Members to the reply which the Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Abingdon (Sir R. Glyn) yesterday.

Mr. Harvey

Will my hon. Friend see that his Department reconsiders the whole question of pensions in view of the fact that the whole House would wish that those who give their lives in service on these premises should have a more adequate pension when they retire?

Mr. Hicks

I can assure my hon. Friend that this service is one which is appreciated by the whole House. But my Ministry or any other Ministry has no power outside the sanction given by Parliament under the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1935.

Mr. Thorne

May I ask my hon. Friend whether the same principle applies to Members of Parliament?

Mr. Hicks

I can only say in this particular instance—and I am sure that everyone would like to appreciate the great services which this man has rendered—that you cannot keep good people down. I understand that Mr. Knight is leaving with a desire to take another job.

Sir H. Williams

Is it not a fact that whatever the Act of Parliament may be, most Acts of Parliament are passed on the initiative of a Government Department, and is it not time that this Department initiated legislation so as to give decent terms of employment to this form of employees?

Mr. Hicks

That is a matter for consideration.

Mr. W. J. Brown

Is the Minister aware that the exclusion of this particular man from pension and the exclusion of many thousands of others for whom the Minister's Department is partly responsible is due to the wholly unjust and arbitrary rule that only 12½ per cent. of this type of work can be established as pensionable however many years are put in; and is it not time that he insisted on the abrogation of this obviously harsh and unjust rule?

Commander Locker Lampson

We want fair play for our friends.

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